Friday, 31 October 2014

Leadership debate - email the bbc

I am deeply puzzled and disappointed at the BBC’s refusal to grant the
Green Party a slot in the proposed 2015 election debate between party
leaders.

Your letter to the Green Party says that even if their poll numbers drew
level with the Lib Dems, you would still take 2010 as your “starting
point” when considering the debate line-up. Given the Greens won an MP
in 2010, and Ukip failed to do so, you are applying your logic unfairly.

The granting of an election debate slot to Ukip is therefore justified
on the basis of current polling, and the basis for including the Lib
Dems is the 2010 election result. Yet when considering the claims of the
Greens it appears neither 2010 nor 2014 are justifiable “starting
points.”

You may have forgotten that the Greens beat the Lib Dems in this year's
parliamentary elections. You may also not have noticed that the Green
Party's general election polling is 2 or 3 times higher than it was five
years ago demonstrating a signficant increase in support.

Your refusal is akin to censorship and is to the detriment of political
debate as well as running counter to the BBC’s principle of political
impartiality as set out in its Charter.